13.4. Answer the questions:

1. Who was the first American president?

2. Where is the President’s residence?

3. Who was buried at the Arlington National Cemetery?

4. What is the largest and highest building in Washington?

5. Are there any skyscrapers in the capital of the USA?

Unit 14. Cities and towns of the usа

14.1. Read and translate the text.

There are very many large cities in the USA.

Washington, the capital of the United States of America, is situated on the Potomac River. In comparison with such ancient historical cities as, for example, Rome, London, Moscow or Paris, Washington is quite young. The capital owes much to the first President of the USA — George Washington. It was G. Washington, who chose the place for the capital and laid in 1790 the corner­stone of the Capitol, where Congress sits. Washington has many historical places. The largest and highest among the buildings is the Capitol with its great House of Representatives and the Senate chamber. There are no sky­scrapers in Washington because no other building must be higher than the Capitol.

New York is the largest city in the USA and the biggest sea­port. It is situated in the mouth of the Hudson River. New York was founded by the Dutch. It is interesting to know that Manhattan Island — the central part of New York — was bought from the local Indians by the Dutch for 24 dollars. That was the most profitable commercial deal in the US history. Today Manhattan is the heart of business and commercial life of the country. New York is the city of skyscrapers. The highest of them is the 102–storeyed building. There are many other places of interest in New York: Central Park, Times Square, Rockefeller Centre, the shopping districts and the United Nations Building. In Manhattan, at Broadway, there is Columbia University, one of the biggest universities of the USA.

Another large city of the USA is Boston, one of the first cities which were built on the Atlantic coast of America. It is an important port and a financial and cultural centre. It has three universities.

Chicago is one of the biggest industrial cities in the USA and the second largest after New York.

Los Angeles, in California, is the centre of modern industries.

Not far from Los Angeles there is Hollywood, the centre of the USA film industry.

14.2. Answer the questions:

1. What are the biggest cities of the United States of America?

2. What city is the nation’s leading financial and commercial centre?

3. Where is the city of New York situated?

4. What are the most important industries of the city?

5. What is Los Angeles famous for?

Unit 15. Sights of the usа

15.1. Read and translate the text.

One should start sightseeing in America from Washington. There are many beautiful parks and gardens in Washington. It is interesting to see the famous cherry trees, the gift from Japan. They were brought to America in 1912. The NASA museum is devoted to the USA achievements in the exploration of space. Capitol Hill is the highest place in the city. There is a law that forbids to build houses higher than the Capitol on Capitol Hill. From the Capitol to the White House Pennsylvania Avenue used for all processions and parades runs. The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument are the most famous ones in Washington. The Washington Monument is one of the most impressive sights in the city. It is situated in Potonic Park. It was erected to the memory of the first president of the USA in 1888. It is called “the Pencil” because it is one of the tallest stone constructions in the world and the tallest in the USA.

There are many sights in Philadelphia, for example, the National Historical Park. You can also see the Liberty Bell, which is a symbol of freedom. The sound of this Bell told the people about the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in July 1776. You can also visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art — one of the greatest art museums of the world.

One should also visit New York, the city of skyscrapers with the Statue of Liberty. A new American Immigration Museum has been opened at the base of the statue. The Metropolitan Opera House, the Madison Square Garden, the Modern Arts Museum are popular among the tourists.

One can also visit Lyndon B. Johnson Space Centre near Houston in Texas or go to Florida or California to enjoy the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean beaches.

And I would like to see them all myself.